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Simply Sarena

Simply Sarena

Home | Toxin Free | The BEST Non-Toxic Nail Polish + How To Apply (Tutorial) with SOPHi Nail Polish

The BEST Non-Toxic Nail Polish + How To Apply (Tutorial) with SOPHi Nail Polish

Beauty, Toxin Free

Nail Polish is notorious for having a strong, chemical smell…because Nail Polish is normally filled with strong, harsh, toxic chemicals. In the past about 10 years, you’ve probably seen marketing labels on Nail Polish that claim their product are 3-Free, 5-Free, or 10-Free. These “Free”” labels sound great! But what do they really mean?

3-Free Nail Polish is nail polish formulated without…

Dibutyl Phthalate: Hormone disruptor and can cause birth defects. It’s banned in the European Union.

Formaldehyde: Preservative that is a human carcinogen.

Toluene: Skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant. When inhaled, this chemical can cause nausea and dizziness. In more extreme cases, it can be deadly.

5-Free Nail Polish is formulated without…

Dibutyl Phthalate, Formaldehyde, Toluene, as well as

Formaldehyde Resin: Not as toxic as Formaldehyde however, it is still a skin irritant and can cause allergic reactions.

Camphor: Skin irritant and when inhaled, can cause nausea and headaches. This chemical can also cause nails to become dry and brittle…so if you have weak nails, this chemical could be to blame!

10-Free Nail Polish is formulated without…

Dibutyl Phthalate, Formaldehyde, Toluene, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, as well as

Ethyl Tosylamide: May cause antibiotic resistance. For this reason, it is banned in the European Union.

Xylene: Allergen and may be cancerous.

Parabens: Hormone Disruptor.

Animal-By-Products: Not necessarily “toxic”, but definitely a no-go for Vegan Nail Polish.

Fragrance: Can cause cancer, allergies, skin irritation, hormone disruption, birth defects, and respiratory toxicity. “Fragrance” is an umbrella term, which up to 3,000 chemicals can hide behind.

You’ve also probably seen nail polish labeled 7-Free, 8-Free, 9-Free, 16-Free, etc. These are just marketing buzzwords to trick unknowing consumers into thinking they’re getting rid of toxic chemicals. A lot of times, the chemicals that these formulas are “free” of, are chemicals that aren’t even used in nail polish!

While I do think 10-Free nail polish is good, and they’re what I’ve been using recently, I figured there’s got to be a better option… Well, I found it!

Recently I’d been hearing about SOPHi by Piggy Paint. Piggy Paint is a non-toxic nail polish made for kids. Piggy Paint came out with SOPHi, which is the same non-toxic formulation, just with more mature colors. Also, on top of having a cleaner formulation, SOPHi is also vegan, cruelty-free, and Made in the USA. The formula is water based and it doesn’t cause your nails to get yellow or become brittle. On SOPHi’s website, they claim to be formulated without any harsh chemicals.

Surface level, that all sounds like great stuff! However, I’m a TOXIN FREE blogger, so I did have to dive deeper into the chemicals they do use.

The 3 main chemicals they use are water, acrylates copolymer, and neem oil. We all know water is totally safe, but I did need to research the other 2 further.

Acrylates Copolymer: Has a 1-2 rating from EWG. I can’t find any studies or data suggesting that this is a toxic chemical, so for now, it’s safe!

Neem Oil: Rated a 1 on EWG. I did find some concerning information at the bottom of this Dr. Axe post however, for the tiny amount in the nail polish and since we’re not ingesting it, I’m not concerned about this ingredient.

Their polishes also contain chemicals to give them their color. This is pretty much unavoidable in nail polish unless you’re just wearing clear. And if you’re doing that, what’s the point? Just my opinion…

Anyways, there are a few dyes they use that have a 2-5 rating on EWG depending on the usage and if they’re contaminated. These dyes are Red 28, Red 17, Violet 2, and Chrome Green. From the information on EWG, Violet 2, Red 28, and Red 17, I don’t have a problem with using them in nail polish. Their big concern is they can cause eye irritation and shouldn’t be ingested, so keep them off your face. Chrome Green isn’t too bad in nail polish either, it’s just concerning if it’s ingested or particles are inhaled. If you’re super concerned, just don’t get a shade with Chrome Green in it.

Now that we’ve covered the ingredients, let’s get on to my experience with the SOPHi Nail Polish!

I had read some reviews before purchasing SOPHi. Some people hated it saying it peeled right off their nails the first day. Others LOVED it saying it lasted an entire week! I figured I’d just get everything I needed to do a SOPHi manicure properly and if it didn’t work, at least I’d tried.

I ordered the PRIME + SHINE + SEAL System, the shades Morning Kisses and Mi Amore, and the Nail Polish Stripper. SOPHi included a little business card with instructions on the back. YOU MUST FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY OR YOUR NAIL POLISH WILL NOT LAST! I’m pretty sure that’s where people went wrong.

I’m sooo happy to say that my nail polish lasted a solid 5 days. I removed it on day 6 when it started to chip. Even day 6 wasn’t bad though…I’m just a picker so at the sight of the first chip, I pick away. I’m so blown away though! My nails curve side to side and slightly front to back, so shellac doesn’t even last more than 5 days on me and it normally starts cracking by day 3. I also normally get about 1.5 days of wear with regular nail polish before it starts to crack and chip. The SOPHi polish NEVER even cracked! (While I had this polish on, I painted with acrylic paints, a puppy was gnawing on my hand, and I cleaned my bathroom with no gloves and the nail polish lasted through it all.)

Seriously y’all, my mind is blown…

Here’s the Step By Step instructions on how to apply the SOPHi Nail Polish.

I followed the instructions on the card exactly and it worked like a charm! The instructions on the bottle say to paint all the coats and blow dry at the end. That way does not work apparently and it will peel off quickly. I blow dried for 60 seconds after each coat and the nail polish lasted almost an entire week.

Photo of a note card with instructions on how to apply SOPHi nail polish.

I used the shade Morning Kisses and I did 3 coats of it.

Step 1:

After washing hands with soap and water, apply a thin coat of SOPHi’s Primer + Sealer and let air dry.

Photo of a hand holding SOPHi Nail Polish Primer + Sealer.

Step 2:

Apply a couple coats of SOPHi Nail Polish color. Like I mentioned, I used Morning Kisses and I did 3 coats. VERY IMPORTANT…You MUST blow dry with a hair dryer AFTER EACH COAT! I blow dried for about 60 seconds each coat. If you don’t do this, or if you blow dry once at the end of the 2-3 coats, the polish will not last as long!

Photo of a hand holding SOPHi Nail Polish Morning Kisses bottle with one coat of polish on nails
Photo of a hand holding SOPHi Nail Polish Morning Kisses bottle with two coats of polish on nails
Photo of a hand holding SOPHi Nail Polish Morning Kisses bottle with three coats of polish on nails

Step 3:

Apply a coat of the Shine Topcoat and blow dry.

Photo of a hand holding SOPHi Nail Polish Shine Topcoat bottle

Step 4:

Apply a coat of the Primer + Sealer and blow dry.

Photo of a hand holding SOPHi Primer + Sealer

That’s it! This is definitely my new favorite nail polish and it’s not remotely as toxic as regular nail polish.

Here’s also the progression of how it lasted.

To Remove SOPHi Nail Polish

I bought the SOPHi Nail Polish Stripper to remove the nail polish. I found it easiest to spread a little dab of the nail polish stripper to coat each nail, then before it dries, scrape it off. The instructions say to let it soak on nail for 1-2 minutes, then wipe it off with a paper towel. I tired that method and it did not work. It worked best when I peeled it off when the stripper wasn’t completely dry.

Photo of a hand holding SOPHi Nail Polish Stripper
Photo of SOPHi nail polish peeling  off after using the SOPHi Nail Polish Stripper
Nail polish peeling after letting polish soak in the Nail Polish Stripper.

Just for fun, I tried to remove one nail with acetone. The acetone didn’t take it off any easier. It just broke down the layers so you could peel off the polish, which is exactly what the Nail Polish Stripper did, except the Nail Polish Stripper isn’t as toxic.

Nail after trying to take it off with acetone. It did not remove as easily as I thought it would.

If this polish and blow dry stuff isn’t for you and you insist on sticking with normal nail polish, I recommend only using 10-free polish. My favorite brands of 10-Free nail polish are ZOYA and 100% Pure.

If you’ve tried SOPHi nail polish, leave me a comment and let me know how you liked it! And if you have any suggestions on other non-toxic nail polish brands, let me know in the comments as well!

For more tips on swapping products for toxin free alternatives, check out this post!

Thanks for reading!

July 20, 2020 · 2 Comments

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Comments

  1. Carli says

    May 10, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    This was super helpful, thank you! I found another brand that is VERY similar to this in ingredients and application, but you don’t have to blow dry. They’re called Kapa Nui nails and theyre made in Hawaii. I’d LOVE to see this same type of post about their products and then hear your thoughts on which brand/system you preferred, how they wear in comparison to one another, etc. I’m having a hard time deciding which brand to invest in to try out first!

    Reply
    • SimplySarena53 says

      June 1, 2021 at 8:50 pm

      I’ve heard of that brand! I haven’t had a chance to dig into their ingredients but they’re next on my list for nail polish!

      Reply

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HI EVERYONE!

I’m Sarena


I’m a Northern Virginia based Integrative Nutrition Coach, a Toxin Free Lifestyle enthusiast, a dancer, and a dog mom to my sweet girl, Miss Cammie.

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simply.sarena

So many women suffer every month from debilitating So many women suffer every month from debilitating period cramps. The conventional way of treating them actually makes the problem worse!

❌Birth Control covers up the symptoms because you don’t get a real period. Meanwhile, whatever is causing the cramps in the first place is still going on in the body and probably getting worse! Birth Control does not treat cramps…it only hides the problem!

❌Ibuprofen may help in a pinch but it doesn’t treat what is actually causing the cramps in the first place. Also, ibuprofen is really bad for gut health (and poor gut health could also be a cause of cramps) so you could be making the problem worse!

❌A lot of women turn to junk food on their period however, junk food is inflammatory so if your cramps are caused by inflammation, you could be making the problem worse! If you’re craving chocolate, you probably need magnesium, so if you’re going to eat it, eat good quality DARK chocolate! 

The biggest favor you can do yourself is listen to your body and figure out what is causing the issues in the first place! The answer is different for everyone and there is no one size fits all solution!

Feel free to DM me if you need any support! 

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Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all suga Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all sugar is bad!!!

Natural sugar is necessary because it gives us energy! You can find natural sugar in fruits, vegetables, and sweeteners like raw honey, pure maple syrup, dates, coconut sugar, and more.

Watch out for sneaky sugars in processed food as they cause blood sugar spikes which gives us that instant energy but we crash. It also causes type 2 diabetes and insulin issues. 

When you’re reading the ingredient label on food, watch out for different (not so obvious) names for sugar. 

Just because something says 12g of sugar doesn’t mean that 12g is bad sugar…which is why you always need to check the ingredient label for the source of the sugar!

Also, people think Stevia is healthier which isn’t necessarily the case. Stevia is highly processed and should only be consumed occasionally unless you’re consuming stevia in its purest form! 

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Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control hides the symptoms of a hormone imbalance, meanwhile the problem is getting worse.

A lot of women struggle with severe symptoms when they come off birth control because they never addressed the underlying cause of their hormone imbalance.

If you are struggling with hormonal acne, period cramps, severe PMS, mood swings, etc. and you think birth control is going to fix the problem, it will not!

There are a lot of factors that can cause a hormone imbalance from our diet, to hormone disrupting chemicals in our daily products, to external factors like stress, lack of sleep, etc. that can throw our hormones out of whack!

If you need support with your hormones, feel free to DM me!

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Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’r Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’re eating right, limiting toxin exposure, and still can’t seem to get your hormones under control, it could be a different lifestyle factor coming into play!

We are not men, we do not have the same 24 hour hormone cycle that men have.

We have different needs for different times during the month! Being in tune with your body and doing what it needs at that time is so important!

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#hormonehealth #womenshealth #womenshormones #holistichealthandwellness #lowtoxlifestyle #toxinfreeliving #healthandwellnesscoach #healthandwellnesstips #birthcontrolproblems #birthcontrol #regulatehormonesnaturally #hormoneimbalance #womenslifestyle
These are foods that have been marketed to be heal These are foods that have been marketed to be healthy, but they’re not. There’s so many other actually healthy foods you could eat that are much more satisfying than these. Keep reading for why these aren’t the best options!

❌Whole Wheat Bread: This one comes down to the ingredients. One popular whole wheat bread contains Soybean Oil, Soy Lecithin, and Natural Flavors. Also because I have a gluten sensitivity, eating slices of any bread is a no for me!

❌Cereal: So many cereal’s are full of sugar and synthetic vitamins which are not properly absorbed by our bodies, not to mention artificial colors and flavors. Also, a lot of cereal has extremely high levels of glyphosate! Not a great way to start your day.

❌Flavored Yogurt: Any yogurt except plain yogurt has a lot of sugar. You’ll also find natural flavors and gums in some popular brands. Natural flavors is an easy way for companies to not disclose all ingredients and gums can cause digestive issues. In my opinion, you may as well have a bowl of ice cream and enjoy it than try to be “healthy” with flavored yogurt.

❌Farmed Salmon: You may think you’re making a healthy choice by choosing salmon however, farmed salmon should be avoided as it is basically big agricultures version of salmon. It is bred in crammed cages, fed an unnatural diet of fish meal & animal by products, and they are full of pesticides and antibiotics 🤢

❌Granola Bars: Granola bars are full of a lot of sugar including corn syrup. You may also find soybean oil or canola oil which are inflammatory, and natural flavors. You’re better off baking some cookies and knowing exactly what you’re putting in the cookies. 

Did any of these surprise you?? Let me know in the comments! 

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#healthyeatinghabits #unhealthyfood #lowtox #lowtoxlife #crunchygirl #holisticnutritioncoach #iinhealthcoach #iinalumni #iingrad #toxinfreeliving #nutritiontips #nutritionfacts #eathealthybehealthy #healthychoices #foodismedicine #dontbefooled #biggovsucks #biggovermentsucks #healyourselfnaturally #healyourselfwithfood
I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately ab I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately about wanting to get off birth control, but they’re scared how it will effect their body.

The truth is, if you got on birth control for bad period cramps, hormonal acne, irregular periods, etc., birth control was covering up the problem…not fixing it!

When you go off birth control, you’ll probably find you’ll have the same problems of not worse.

That’s why balancing your hormones is so important when coming off birth control!

These 3 tips are a great place to start! There are so many different things you can do to get your hormones in check. 

Follow for more holistic health & nutrition tips!

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✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨ T ✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨

These are the BEST healthy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies 🍪 

Recipe: 

1 egg
1 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (make sure you check the ingredient label and only use clean chocolate chips!)

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes!

Let me know if you give these a try! 

#healthydessertrecipes #glutenfreecookies #refinedsugarfree #bakingreel #holisticnutrition #hormonefriendly #womenshealth #womenshormones
It’s still January for a few more days! Last y It’s still January for a few more days! 

Last year, I did a lot that wasn’t working for me. I got so stuck in my routines, I was saying “yes” to everything, even if I didn’t want to, because I didn’t want to offend anyone.

This year, I’m only doing things that light me up and that are in alignment with my goals 💕✨

Health isn’t just about what we eat and the products we use, it’s also about how everything else in our life makes us feel and effects our physical health.

At the end of 2022, I realized I needed to make a change when I was starting to get headaches almost daily again. I had also spent soooo much money it makes me sick thinking about it.

No more! I’m putting myself and my goals first this year! 

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I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵 Green I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵

Green Tea: Contains caffeine so it gives me energy. Green Tea is also high in antioxidants!

Echinacea Tea: Has immune supporting properties. It’s even known to shorten symptoms of colds and the flu!

Dandelion Tea: This tea is a powerful liver detox! It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Raspberry Leaf Tea: This tea is great for a woman’s cycle. It’s high in magnesium and vitamin B6 so it helps relieve PMS symptoms and helps regulate hormones.

Chaga Tea: Chaga is the king of medicinal mushrooms. It’s full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, it boosts the immune system, and it may even slow the growth of c**cer cells. Literally the KING! 

My favorite brands of tea are @yogitea, @tradmedicinals, and @numiorganictea. These brands have organic teas and their tea bags are plastic free!
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